Knee replacement. Help!

Ah, yes forgot about the prunes etc. I took dried figs and licorice into hospital with me, spinal block is not as bad as a general, after a long general i have been in serious distress, even with suppositories and enema.

Jane you have had an overload of information- all I can do is wish you the very best of luck and we are here if you need any advice. You are lucky not having stairs indoors- obviously you will have to learn to negotiate them but it is not a priority. Can you elevate the operated leg when you come home? I used an old wicker box and added 3 pillows.

I am very very grateful for all the information I've had from you all. Forewarned is forearmed. Its enabled me to be very much more prepared than I ever would be otherwise. I wish I didn't have 2 more weeks to think about it.
We're all set at home and I've been putting my feet up as instructed by physio and doing exercises in preparation. Thanks again. I'll keep you informed. Pre op visit on the 20th.

All the advice we are giving is rubbish, but it's taking your mind off the wait

Did I mention having some spare pillows to hand, I needed to put them under my leg in bed to get comfortable.

Another piece of useless advice. I had trouble sleeping at first, i found a music player with ear pieces helped, usually fell asleep after a short while, takes the mind off being uncomfortable.

What I'll need is some sort of 24 hour pa. They've to be on hand at all times to prepare delicious meals, convey me to the bathroom as required, bath me, dress me in my usual silks and satins and sing me to sleep after making sure I've eaten my prunes and done masses of exercises. Any idea where I might find such a paragon? Oh and they've not to be annoying.

Doesn't DH meet all those parameters?

you beat me to it Elegran ;)

Jane said "not annoying"

He's not a great singer. That's all I'm prepared to say!

I can send you an mp3 of me singing -- you will think he is a fantastic singer then.

Oh no will I have to run X Factor type auditions? This knee op business is getting so complicated !

It's the pain killers that cause constipation, like Tramadol- one of the reasons they try to keep it to mimimum of about 3 days (and also because it is highly addictive).

Jane a pillow under your leg when you are in bed at night at home can cause a DVT, it is not recommended.

When I was in hospital, I had an adjustable bed which the pillow mimicked when I got home, confused.

I was told by surgeon and physio not to put a pillow under my knee as I should be trying to keep it as flat and straight as possible. One of the exercises is to straighten and push down onto the bed. A pillow will encourage a bend behind the knee.

Goes to show that you need to follow the advice you are given in hospital as I was advised to use pillows to raise my leg so that the ankle was above my heart to reduce swelling. You are right about the straightening exercise.
Each surgeon and hospital have their own regime.

I was given the same advice, NO pillow under knee as full extension is even more essential for full recovery than bending.

As soon as I was able to lie on my side again in bed, I used a thin pillow between my knees though- still do 5 months later.

Please note I said under the leg, not the knee, to raise the foot.

BUT -- Take the advise from the hospital, they are the professionals.

Wobblybits that is allowed to attempt to reduce the swelling. I used a wicker box with 3 pillows on top to elevate my leg. I did this for many months afterwards.

I think it important that we don't give medical advice (including me). My operations were 8 and 2 years ago. Medical advice changes over time.
Anyone having treatment should take guidance from their own surgeon etc. None of us can be qualified to give advice to the contrary.
Even if some of us are medically qualified, we do not know the individual circumstances.

I agree, Wobbly but it is helpful to have eg a pair of slippers with backs, a chair for use in the bathroom and kitchen and tips like that. We have also given Jane pointers so that she can ask questions when she goes for her pre-op assessment.

She has a DH who hopefully knows where the kitchen is and can provide a few meals.

MY hospital sent me a questionnaire, pre op, they wanted to know heights of chairs, bed, toilets etc and what aids I had etc. Where they were unhappy, they supplied equipment prior to the op to ensure my house was suitable. They insisted on some things that I never used, like a bathing stool (I had adapted my shower so that I could get in)

What we are qualified to give is support and encouragement

Wobbly was that pre your hip replacement because heights of chairs etc do not matter so critically for a knee as a hip replacement.

Wow Wobblybits, it just shows how brilliant the NHS is. Here we had to preplan and get everything ready ourselves.

I did find that height of chairs was VERY important for me, and so was the height of the loo and the bed too. I got a blow-up cushion to raise my favourite armchair, several cushions for dining chair, and raisers for the bed, as well as a grab handle for the bed (which we borrowed from Red Cross here, with feet that fitten under bed.

Sorry I misread Wobbly- cushions under foot to raise leg should be fine. We ov course shouldn't give medical advice as such, but there is nothing wrong in repeating the advice we were given- in our particular circumstances.